This site is used so that people who google certain family names will hopefully stumble across this site. In doing so, they may find some new relatives. I am constructing my family tree both for myself and on behalf of my relatives. If your English is poor, use a Google translator program. A link is in the margin on this page. Names I am researching include, but are not limited to: Trusinskis, Trusinska, Truschinsky, Till, Tils, Tila, Puls, Vigerts, Vigerte, Kurschinsky (-ski), and Bitte.

24 July 2008

I found the Till death record to which I had referred in my last post -well, one film of the two that cover that time period in that community. I did, however, find the death record of the Till who had died in 1827 and was born sometime in the 1770s. It didn't provide any further information -such as where the guy was born. I won't find anything more in birth or death records until I review the Revision lists. They are explained and will eventually be posted here.

No Truschinsky records in the two other films that had arrived. *sigh* I do hold out some hope for some Truschinsky records that are on order for another community. All of the dates that I would like to be covered are not available, but I would like at least one...preferably the one that is for Eduard Truschinsky's birth. That would be huge. It is very unlikely I will find that record, as he was born two years after the last available date of the records to arrive. As will Johann Till, I may have to get some luck with some Revision lists.

21 July 2008

The records are for both Truschinsky and Till. I may have already reviewed the Till records, but I want to be sure I am hoping to find a more detailed death record that what I have found online (http://www.lvva-raduraksti.lv/en.html). The Truschinsky record (two of them, with a lot more on the way!) seeks to find a particular birth record for a Truschinsky, but I will still be quite pleased and a bit surprised if I find any Truschinskys -the records for this area haven't been particularly helpful. I get lots of references to this broad geographic region, but no supporting data to help me develop the links between three broad groups of Truschinskys. If I did find a particular birth record for this Truschinsky, I may be able to link the 20 or 30 individuals I found in the last few weeks with my existing tree. If I can, it will be very exciting and will very likely lead to some living relatives in Latvia!

DNA UPDATE: I have been notified by Family Tree DNA that my samples have arrived and will be heading out to their lab in the next week or so. While I am annoyed at the length of time this takes, I am still excited about the possibilities of where this might lead.

DNA UPDATE ON THE UPDATE: Family Tree DNA has now projected my tests will be complete by...get this...September 5. Ugh.

20 July 2008

I've ordered about 9 films from the LDS and some should begin to arrive in the next week or so. So, I am waiting. While I've been waiting ...and waiting... I have been searching online for books that may be of use in my research. They are almost always in German or Latvian, but if I am only looking for a name or names amongst a list,that is still alright. Anyway, I have found three different German language books -two of which have names that are in my family history! One gentleman died in Kazan (I presume, Russia). That is a death record I would have never found if it were not for this source. Another who may be related worked and lived in a specific city in present-day Poland. I have also begun to realize that in World War I, much of Kurzeme (Kurland) was emptied of population. In fact, my grandmother and her family lived in Ukraine for those years of the war -and they were living in Riga just prior to that! I wonder, how many of my other relatives did not return to Latvia??I also wonder, how many chose to fight for the Bolsheviks, and, when the Bolshviks didn't control Latvia right away (until after WWII), did they stay in Russia? I know that some Latvians did make that decision. Many civil wars have brother fighting brother. I do not see how this one might have been any different.There are now -in my view- enough Trusinskys and Tills that I have found (etc) that it is probably likely that some moved to Russia and stayed...even to this day. At some point, I will try to look in Russian directories for the Russian spellings of Trusinsky. However, while I strongly suspect Dr. Karlis Trusinskis has looked at this website, but has not responded, how will I be able to get someone who probably isn't as worldly, but probably very suspicious, to communicate??

Additionally, I am not sure if I should be excited or disappointed with the lack of communication from Australia. I say that because he could be amassing quite a large amount of information (dates, data, pictures, etc) -as Gustav said he is on his behalf, or, perhaps, the issue is no longer being pursued by he and his family. Time will tell.

10 July 2008

The test has arrived and I will give a sample tonight. It requires three different swabs of the inner cheek. I will send it away tomorrow. I believe the company says that it takes about 3 weeks to get the results.

I want to encourage others to take said test if they feel that may be related (though it only works for the paternal heritage and only on males). The cost is $99 if you make your order as a part of a group/surname project (such as Trusinsky). Here is a link for more information. Also, here is a link to the Trusinsky project. I will post results on the second link.

You can also join a geographic project, as well or in lieu of, to get the discount. The test costs $149 if you do not get it through a project. So, if your heritage is Latvian -or German- you could join one of those groups.

08 July 2008

I received a response to my email/letter to the DBGG. It was a nice letter that didn't provide to many insights into what I was asking but there was one bit of information which directly let to me finding at least a DOZEN more Truschinskys! (not including children born of a marriage to a female Trusinsky who -hence- have a different surname) My earliest confirmed Truschinsky is a witness to a baptism and I am suspecting that he is a brother of the father. It also gave me a number of birth locations that should be useful -particularly since I ordered records from that area earlier last week. I've started a separate family tree file for the new Trusinskys and will only link them to my existing Trusinsky tree when I've proven a link between them. I am very confident that I will be able to do so!

Also, I sent out an email to a "suspected" "Trusinsky" in the US who I had found online. He responded and shared a bit of information which indicates that there may be a link. He has a relative that does some genealogy and forwarded my email and website to her. That reminds me -I should reply to the gentleman!

03 July 2008

We arrived from Europe this last Monday. Jane and I visited Iceland, Sweden (2nd time for me) and Finland.

Now that I am back, I have ordered my DNA kit from Family Tree DNA. I've started a group based upon my surname. If people have a similar surname to Trusinsky, they are invited to join the group and -in return- they receive a price $50 lower than if they joined on their own. The lower price is $99 for the base kit. The kit examines the DNA of a male descendant that remains unchanged from generation to generation. It is for this reason that the group is based upon the surname, as the son of Trusinsky has the surname of Trusinsky, etc. However, that being said, I have found at least 4 different spellings of Trusinsky in the documents I have found for my ancestors. I am sure that these are relatives (unless, of course, someone was adopted along the way...).